Olympia Symphony pays homage to music of Vienna

WAYNE BLOOMINGDALE, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, February 1, 2002

Throughout history, different periods have highlighted specific cities as musical capitals of the world.

London became the focus of attention during Handel's reign of opera and oratorio. Mozart, Chopin and Wagner were drawn to Paris for validation of their work. But Vienna became the setting for the richest outcropping of composers and performers. Among others, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms contributed to the Austrian capital's reputation as the foremost Mecca of great musicians.

It seems fitting that the Olympia Symphony, now celebrating its 50th year of rich history, will pay homage to Vienna and its glorious past in its Feb. 3 concert titled "Vienna at the Crossroads."

Maestro Jonathan Shames has chosen a program that will feature five of Vienna's most famous inhabitants. And he has wisely programmed a variety from Schubert to Johann Strauss Jr., whose 19th-century waltzes exemplify the gaiety of Vienna at its musical pinnacle.

Although the Olympia Symphony does not share the length of Vienna's musical history, its own progress from 1947, when Mary Penry lobbied for an orchestra to enhance the culture of the state capital, to 2002 is a story of hard work and dedication on the parts of many local musicians, businesses and loyal fans of symphonic music.

Like all cycles of life, there were good times and bad times, some influenced by economy and war, some by the shortage of musicians to fill key positions in the orchestra. But there was a will to prevail, one that has raised the quality of the music and the good financial health of the organization. Today, the concerts enjoy full houses at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts and positive reviews for the programs offered.

Shames has soundly set the direction of programs that have offered diversity in styles and periods of music. The upcoming concert will be a display of his work to incorporate artistic integrity and music to please an audience.

The evening will open with Schubert's Symphony No. 5 in B-flat. Before the composer approached this work in 1816, he had become acquainted with Beethoven's music. There is little doubt that his new composition was influenced by the older master. This is the most popular of his symphonic works, with the exception of the great C major "Unfinished." The four movements are filled with jovial, tender themes that conclude with an energetic Minute and finale.

The mood changes for Gustav Mahler's "Songs of a Wayfarer." Here the story is told of lost love and finding consolation in nature. Mahler, both composer and conductor, had a profound influence on Viennese music during his 10-year reign at the Royal Opera. His short sojourn in America (1908-1911) included conducting posts at the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic.

Anton Webern (1883-1945) represents a shift to contemporary music. He wrote "Six Pieces for Orchestra" in 1910. When the work premiered in Vienna in 1913 it earned hostility from the audience. By 1924, Webern was receiving public acclaim for his work and there was general acceptance of his "modern" sound. Today, the work is standard repertoire for symphony orchestras.

In the balance of the program the spirit will change to the lighthearted music for which Vienna is famous, beginning with Franz Lehar's Overture to "The Merry Widow." Lehar (1870-1948) was noted for a great variety of works, including theatrical, popular, film and band marches. He is most famous for this operetta and its sparkling overture.

Perhaps the most noted of the evening's works will be the closing "On the Beautiful Blue Danube," by Viennese waltz king Johann Strauss Jr. More than any other composer, Strauss is the epitome of Vienna's heartbeat. During his lifetime (1825-1899) he turned the waltz into the anthem of the Austrian capital. For fans of Strauss, there is an excellent 1940s MGM biographical film, "The Great Waltz," in video stores. It stars the great Viennese coloratura soprano, Miliza Korjus.

Soloist for the evening will be mezzo-soprano Kathryn Weld. The American singer has appeared in opera and concert in the United States and Europe. A recent review declared, "Weld has a remarkable voice ... full and warm with depth and a light vibrato shaping it."

The second concert of the Olympia Symphony season will give the audience an opportunity to share in the orchestra's 50th year and to appreciate Maestro Jonathan Shames in his final season in Olympia.

Wayne Bloomingdale, a free-lance writer and music critic, is on the music faculties of Saint Martin's College and Pacific Lutheran University. He is music director at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Olympia.

'Vienna at the Crossroads'

- What: Olympia Symphony performance.

- When: 7 p.m. Feb. 3.

- Where: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts (www.washingtoncenter.org/), 512 Washington St S.E., Olympia.

- Tickets: $15-$30.

- More information: Call 360-753-8586.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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